After another rainout, the Mets must weather the storm

The Mets will play a doubleheader following a Monday night rainout. Plus, how their starting staff will have to weather the storm with 10 games in the next nine days.

(Photo courtesy of Jack Dempsey/AP Images)

What’s Up with the Mets? ⛈️

• The Mets’ match-up against the Cardinals was rained out and rescheduled as part of a single-admission doubleheader on Tuesday

• Today already marks the club’s fourth doubleheader of the season

• RHPs Trevor Williams and Taijuan Walker will start today, though it has not yet been announced what games they will pitch in

• RHP Jacob deGrom is making progress in his rehab but is awaiting the results of his latest MRI — he is at least a month away from returning and will need 3-5 rehab starts (MLB.com)

• deGrom has still not been cleared by team doctors to throw off a mound; he is currently throwing from flat surfaces

• Former Mets RF Michael Conforto (unsigned) could potentially be ready for a late-season return after undergoing shoulder surgery in April (NY Post)

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Today’s Games 🗓

GAME ONE

Match-up: Mets (23-13) vs Cardinals (19-15)

Where: Citi Field — Flushing, NY

Starters: TBA vs TBA

Where to Watch: SNY

When: 3:10 PM EST

GAME TWO

Starters: TBA vs TBA

Where to Watch: SNY

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After the rain (and some injuries), the Mets pitching staff must weather the storm 📝

(Photo courtesy of AP Images)

For the first time this season, the Mets face their first bout of adversity. After yet another rainout induced a doubleheader today and an IL stint for Tylor Megill, who was already filling in for the injured Jacob deGrom, New York will have to find a way to manage their starting rotation as they will play 10 games in the next nine days.

In the absence of deGrom, their ace and the best pitcher in baseball, New York’s rotation has performed more than admirably, and at times his absence has not been felt as much as it would have in other years — but now this team faces a difficult task.

With deGrom and Megill now on the shelf, the depth of this Mets rotation is going to see how they can hold up to scrutiny. David Peterson, as the club’s 7th option, has performed very well in each of his spot appearances for the team this season but will not be able to start today because he’s only on three day’s rest since his last start in Triple-A, so that nod will instead go to Trevor Williams and the bullpen.

But this really extends past today.

New York’s bullpen has already started to show some leaks, as they gave up leads in all three of their games over the weekend to the Mariners, putting only more pressure on a rotation that is losing bodies. What’s even more difficult is they now must face the Cardinals (11th most runs scored in MLB), travel to Coors Field (do I really need to say anything about this one?) and then face the Giants (3rd most runs scored in MLB) before their next off-day. Without a doubt, this is the biggest test this team has faced thus far in the early season.

Over the next nine days, we will see what this club is truly made of as they look to avoid a familiar slide that led to so much second half turmoil one year ago. It must be said, though, that while the depth doesn’t look as good now — which is the case for any team that is down multiple rotation options — it would be hard to assemble better depth than the Mets did coming into this season.

Down to their 7th and 8th options in the rotation, they still go out there with a chance to win every day. Not many other teams can say that. Now we’ll just have to see how it all shakes out.

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Down on the Farm 🌾

• Alex Ramirez (OF, No. 6 prospect, Single-A): .362/.394/.562, 3 HR, 9 doubles, 4 triples, 20 RBI, .956 OPS

• Brett Baty (3B, No. 2 prospect, Double-A): .285/.366/.466, 3 HR, 12 doubles, 10 RBI, .832 OPS

• Francisco Álvarez (C, No. 1 prospect, Double-A): .245./342/.441, 4 HR, 8 doubles, 18 RBI, .783 OPS

Box Scores: All four Mets minor league affiliates were off on Monday

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Around the League 🚩

• RHP Johnny Cueto struck out seven in his White Sox debut as the club defeated the Royals in extra innings

• The Red Sox beat the Astros 6-3 thanks to 2B Trevor Story’s first Fenway Park long ball

• Twins SS Carlos Correa is expected to return from the IL tonight against the A’s

• Cubs C Wilson Contreras hit a grand slam as part of an eight-run first inning in their win over the Pirates

• Yankees 1B Anthony Rizzo became the third player on the team to reach double-digit home runs in their 6-2 victory in Baltimore